Method for water supply in laundry device

ABSTRACT

A method for water supply in a laundry device is disclosed. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for water supply in a laundry device which prevents detergent from remaining/being stuck in/to a dispenser body by discharging detergent/wash water more smoothly. A method for water supply in a laundry device includes (a) step for supplying water; (b) step for temporarily stopping water supply for a predetermined time in the middle of the water supply; and (c) step for re-starting water supply after the predetermined time and finishing water supply to a predetermined water level.

This application claims the benefit of the Patent Korean Application No.10-2005-0091804, filed on Sep. 30, 2005, which are hereby incorporatedby reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a laundry device, more particularly, toa detergent box assembly having a new structure which can supplydetergent smoothly.

1. Discussion of the Related Art

In general, a laundry device is classified into a pulsator type washingmachine having a drum vertically mounted therein and a drum type washingmachine having a drum horizontally mounted therein.

Since the drum is horizontally mounted in the drum type washing machineas mentioned above, washing is performed by dropping the laundry loadedinto the drum.

A detergent box assembly, one of compositions of the drum type washingmachine, is employed for supplying various kinds of detergents used inwashing together with wash water.

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional detergent box assembly includes adispenser body 10 in communication with a tub 2 by a bellows 12, adetergent box 20 drawably provided within the dispenser body 10 forholding various detergents therein and a wash water dispenser 30 forsupplying wash water into the detergent box 20.

An outlet pipe 11 is outwardly projected from the dispenser body 10 andin communication with a rear lower portion of the dispenser body 10. Thebellows 12 is connected to the outlet pipe 11.

When washing is performed in a state of detergent being supplied intothe detergent box 20, wash water is supplied. The wash water is suppliedinto the space having detergent therein through the dispenser body 10.

Thus, the detergent is discharged into the dispenser body 10 togetherwith the wash water, and then the detergent and wash water pass throughthe outlet pipe 11 and the bellows 12 to be supplied into the tub 2.

However, according to the conventional detergent box assembly, if washwater reaches a predetermined level and water supply is stopped, thedetergent flowing from the detergent box 20 into the dispenser body 10cannot be discharged through the outlet pipe 11 smoothly. In spite ofthe remaining detergent, the water level is lowered drastically.Thereby, there may be a problem that the detergent is remaining withinthe dispenser body 10 due to the decrease of water currents.

Also, while the detergent and wash water are discharged through theoutlet pipe 11, too much wash water is discharged and some of the washwater forms vortex. Thereby, since the wash water which has formedvortex goes around an end of the outlet pipe 11, some of the wash waterand detergent which flows along the vortex are not discharged. Thus,there may be another problem that the detergent remains within thedispenser body 10.

At that time, since the detergent which remains around the outlet pipe11 of the dispenser body 10 contains some moisture, the detergent isgetting cakery, not in a powdery state, to be stuck on the portionadjacent to the outlet pipe 11.

Also, there may be still another problem in the conventional detergentbox assembly. When wash water is supplied, the stuck detergent preventsthe wash water from being discharged through the outlet pipe.

Especially, the stuck detergent is getting increased every washing.Still worse, the stuck detergent closes some portion of the outlet pipe11 to cause backflow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method for watersupply in a laundry device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for watersupply in a laundry device which prevents detergent from remaining/beingstuck in/to a dispenser body by discharging detergent/wash water moresmoothly.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will beset forth in part in the description which follows and in part willbecome apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art uponexamination of the following or may be learned from practice of theinvention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may berealized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in thewritten description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, amethod for water supply in a laundry device includes: (a) step forsupplying water; (b) step for temporarily stopping water supply for apredetermined time in the middle of the water supply; and (c) step forre-starting water supply after the predetermined time and finishingwater supply to a predetermined water level.

Here, (a) step includes steps of controlling a water supply valve basedon a control signal for performing cycles to start water supply; sensingthe laundry amount during the water supply and setting a water levelcorresponding to the sensed laundry amount; and defining the set waterlevel as the predetermined water level of (c) step.

Also, (b) step is performed, if the present water level according to thewater supply of (a) step reaches a water level frequency prior to adiscretional predetermined value with respect to the water levelfrequency corresponding to the predetermined water level, compared withthe predetermined frequency corresponding to the predetermined waterlevel of (c) step.

At that time, the discretional predetermined value may be a frequencybetween 0.1˜0.5 kHz.

Also, the predetermined time for temporarily stopping the water supplyin (b) step may be between 1˜5 sec.

Preferably, (b) step is performed at least one time after the watersupply starts.

Also, preferably, (b) step is performed at least one time during thewater supply, in case that the water supply of (a) step is for a mainwashing.

Furthermore, (b) step may be performed in the beginning of the watersupply.

On/off of the water supply valve may be alternatively repeated in (b)step.

The on/off operation, which is one time of (b) step, may be repeatedlyperformed within 3 to 10 times.

The water supply of (c) step is finished, if the present water levelaccording to the water re-supply reaches the predetermined water levelfrequency.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating key parts of a conventional drumtype washing machine according to the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a block view illustrating a laundry device according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating key parts of a detergent boxassembly of the laundry device according to the embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for water supply in thelaundry device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to the drawings, a method for water supply in a laundry deviceaccording to the present invention will be described as follows.

First of all, referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention will be described in detail.

A laundry device according to the embodiment of the present inventionincludes a water supply valve 110, a detergent box assembly 120, a tub130, a water level sensor 140 and a controller 150, as shown in FIG. 2.

The water supply valve 110 selectively opens/closes a pipe way of awater supply pipe 4 connected to a water pipe 5.

The water supply valve 110 is controlled to be on/off by the controller150.

As shown in FIG. 2, the detergent box assembly 120 includes a detergentbox 121, a dispenser body 122 and a wash water dispenser 123. Thedetergent box 121 holds detergent therein and the detergent box 121 isprovided within the detergent. The dispenser body 122 supplies washwater drawn through the water supply pipe 4 into the detergent box 121.

An outlet pipe 124 is projectedly formed in a downside of a rear surfaceof the dispenser body 122. An end of a bellows 125 is connected to theoutlet pipe 124 and the other end of the bellows 125 is connected to thetub 130.

At that time, the wash water dispenser 123 is connected to the watersupply pipe 4.

Next, the tub 130 stores wash water therein and a drum 131 for havingthe laundry therein is rotatably mounted within the tub to performactual washing therein.

The water level sensor 140 senses a water level of the tub 130 andtransmits water level frequencies variable based on a water level to thecontroller 150.

The controller 150 controls various operation parts of the laundrydevice such as various valves and a motor. Commonly, the controller 150is a micom and a water level frequency value for the laundry amount isstored in look-up-the-table method.

A method for controlling water supply in the laundry device having theabove configurations according to the embodiment of the presentinvention will be described, referring to FIG. 4.

The method for controlling water supply in the laundry device accordingto the embodiment of the present invention includes a water supply step(S100), a temporary stop step (S200) and a final water supply step(S300).

Each step will be described in detail.

First, the water supply step (S100) is performed by the controller 150of the laundry, if a control signal for performing washing is inputted.

At that time, the control signal is created by a user's operation ofvarious switches provided on a control panel (not shown) and thecontroller 150 receives the signal.

If the signal is inputted in the middle of checking whether a signal forperforming cycles is inputted by the controller 150, the controller 150controls the water supply valve 110 to perform water supply (S120).

Here, when the water supply valve 110 is on, the water supply is opened.

Wash water supplied through the water pipe 5 is flowing along the watersupply pipe 4 and passes through the wash water dispenser 123, to besupplied into the detergent box 121. Hence, the wash water together withdetergent stored in the detergent box 121 is flowing to the dispenserbody 122, the outlet pipe 124 and the bellows 125 in order. Finally, thewash water is supplied into the tub 130.

While the above water supply steps are performed, the controller 150operates the drum 131 to sensing the laundry amount and sets a waterlevel corresponding to the sensed laundry amount (S130).

At that time, the set water level is diffused and defined as a waterlevel frequency (hereinafter, a predetermined frequency) to be stored inthe controller 150. The controller 150 determines when the water supplyis finished based on the set water level.

Next, the temporary stop step (S200) will be described in detail.

In the temporary step (S200), water supply is temporarily stopped for apredetermined time before the water supply is finished.

Here, the time when the water supply is finished is the time when thewater level reaches the predetermined frequency F1 stored in thecontroller 150.

The temporary stop step (S200) is performed if the water level frequencyF2 sensed by the water level sensor reaches a frequency F3 prior to adiscretional predetermined value with respect to the predeterminedfrequency F1.10.

That is, the controller 150 repeatedly receives the present water levelfrequency F2 sensed by the water level sensor 140 (S210) and repeatedlychecks whether the frequency F2 reaches the frequency F3 (for example19.5 kHz) prior to 0.5 kHz with respect to the predetermined frequencyFl(for example 20 kHz (S220). Hence, if the present water levelfrequency F2 reaches the frequency F3, the controller 150 controls thewater supply valve 110 to stop water supply temporarily (S230). At thattime, the discretional predetermined value is a frequency between0.5˜0.1 kHz.

Alternatively, the discretional predetermined value may be out of therange.

However, if the discretional predetermined value is more than afrequency of 0.5 kHz, the next step of the final water supply (S300)should be performed for a relatively long time. Thus, detergent may beremaining again. Also, if the discretional predetermined value is lessthan a frequency of 0.1 kHz, the final water supply step (S300) may notbe performed for a enough time to remove remaining detergent. Thereby,it is not preferred.

Preferably, the time for stopping the water supply in the temporary stopstep (S200) is between 1˜5 sec.

Alternatively, the time may also be out of the range. However, if thewater supply is stopped during the time longer than the maximum of theabove range, detergent may be stuck. Thus, even though the next step offinal water supply is performed, the stuck detergent may not be removedsmoothly. If the water supply is stopped during the time shorter thanthe minimum of the above range, that is, the final water supply isstarted before the range of the time, water currents are not changedenough. Thus, detergent and wash water are not discharged through theoutlet pipe 124, and come around the outlet pipe 124. Thereby, thedetergent may remain near the outlet pipe 124 after the final watersupply step (S300) is completed, which is not preferred.

As described above, when the series of water supply stop step areperformed, most wash water temporarily remaining within the bodydispenser is discharged through the outlet pipe 124. At that time,detergent which may not discharged together with the wash water may beremaining in a portion near the outlet pipe 124 within the dispenserbody 122.

However, the remaining detergent will be completely removed in the finalwater supply step (S300) which will be described later.

Meanwhile, the temporary stop step (S200) may be performed one time andalternatively may be performed at least two times, as needed.

Next, the final water supply step (S300) will be described in detail.

In the final water supply step (S300), after the temporary stop step(S200) is completed, the water supply valve 110 is controlled tore-start water supply to the predetermined frequency (that is, the finalwater level). Thereby, detergent remaining in a portion near the outletpipe 124 of the dispenser body 122 is completely removed.

More specifically, the detergent, which is not discharged through theoutlet pipe 124 of the dispenser body 122 in the water supply step(s100), is remaining in a portion of the bottom of the dispenser body122 near the outlet pipe 124. But, before the detergent is stuck andgetting hard, the re-water supply of the final water supply step (S300)is performed and the detergent may be completely discharged through theoutlet pipe 124.

At that time, the reason why the detergent is not completely dischargedis that some of wash water forms vortex due to too much discharge of thewash water such that the wash water turns around an entrance of theoutlet pipe 124. That is, some of detergent is around together with thewash water turning around the outlet pipe 124 and remains near theoutlet pipe 124 during the temporary stop step (S200) after the watersupply step (S100).

Thus, thanks to the sequential performance of the water supply step(S100), the temporary stop step (S200) and the final water supply step(S300), the detergent is preventing from remaining within the dispenserbody 122.

The method for water supply in the laundry device according to theembodiment of the present invention may be alternated.

For example, the time when detergent and wash water are mixedly suppliedmay be in a preliminary washing or a main washing.

In the preliminary washing, the detergent may be perfectly preventedfrom remaining within the dispenser body 122 by the processes describedabove. When water supply is performed for a long time such as in themain washing, the detergent is flowing to a front portion within thedispenser body 122 due to the vortex generated in the portion near theoutlet pipe 124 and stuck on the front portion.

Thus, when water supply is performed for a long time such as in the mainwashing, it is preferred that the water supply valve 110 is controlledto be on/off at least one time.

Also, preferably, the on/off control of the water supply valve 110 isperformed in the beginning of the water supply, because most ofdetergent is moving together with wash water into the dispenser body 122in the beginning of the water supply.

At that time, the on/off control of the water supply valve 110 may bevaried based on the time of entire water supply, and it is preferredthat the on/off control of the water supply valve 110 is more than 3times and less than 10 times.

If the on/off control of the water supply valve 110 is performed toooften, the entire water supply is increased to cause user'sdissatisfaction, and if the on/off control of the water supply valve 110is not performed for a long time, detergent may be flowing to a frontportion within the dispenser body 122.

The method for water supply in the laundry device may be varied intovarious embodiments, as needed.

Described before, the method for water supply in the laundry device hasfollowing advantageous effects.

First, since water supply is temporarily stopped and re-started, themethod for water supply in the laundry device of the present inventionhas an advantageous effect that detergent is prevented from remainingwithin the dispenser body.

Second, since the time before the water supply is completed is perceivedthrough the water level frequency checked by the water level sensor, itis possible to determine the precise time for water supply, fortemporarily stopping water supply and for final water supply.

Third, since the on/off control of the water supply is additionallyperformed in case the water supply is performed for a long time, theproblem of remaining detergent can be solved perfectly.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, itis intended that the present invention covers the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A method for water supply in a laundry device comprising: (a) stepfor supplying water; (b) step for temporarily stopping water supply fora predetermined time in the middle of the water supply; and (c) step forre-starting water supply after the predetermined time and finishingwater supply to a predetermined water level.
 2. The method for watersupply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the waterlevel of (a) and (c) step is sensed by a water level sensor whichoutputs frequencies corresponding to a sensed water level.
 3. The methodfor water supply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 1, wherein (a)step comprises steps of, controlling a water supply valve based on acontrol signal for performing cycles to start water supply; sensing thelaundry amount during the water supply and setting a water levelcorresponding to the sensed laundry amount; and defining the set waterlevel as the predetermined water level of (c) step.
 4. The method forwater supply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 1, wherein (b) stepis performed, if the present water level according to the water supplyof (a) step reaches a water level frequency prior to a discretionalpredetermined value with respect to the water level frequencycorresponding to the predetermined water level, compared with thepredetermined frequency corresponding to the predetermined water levelof (c) step.
 5. The method for water supply in a laundry device asclaimed in claim 3, wherein (b) step is performed, if the present waterlevel according to the water supply of (a) step reaches a water levelfrequency prior to a discretional predetermined value with respect tothe water level frequency corresponding to the predetermined waterlevel, compared with the predetermined frequency.
 6. The method forwater supply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 4, wherein thediscretional predetermined value is a frequency between 0.1˜0.5 kHz. 7.The method for water supply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 4,wherein the predetermined time for temporarily stopping the water supplyin (b) step is between 1˜5 sec.
 8. The method for water supply in alaundry device as claimed in claim 4, wherein (b) step is performed atleast one time after the water supply starts.
 9. The method for watersupply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 4, wherein (b) step isperformed at least one time during the water supply, in case that thewater supply of (a) step is for a main washing.
 10. The method for watersupply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 9, wherein (b) step isperformed in the beginning of the water supply.
 11. The method for watersupply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 9, wherein on/off of thewater supply valve is alternatively repeated in (b) step.
 12. The methodfor water supply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 11, wherein theon/off operation, which is one time of (b) step, is repeatedly performedwithin 3 to 10 times.
 13. The method for water supply in a laundrydevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water supply of (c) step isfinished, if the present water level according to the water re-supplyreaches the predetermined water level frequency.
 14. The method forwater supply in a laundry device as claimed in claim 3, wherein thewater supply of (c) step is finished, if the present water levelaccording to the water re-supply reaches the predetermined water levelfrequency.